The Restricted Reality of Teacher Leadership: A South African Survey University of KwaZulu-Natal Callie Grant, Karen Gardner, Farhana Kajee, Ronnie Moodley and Sharila Somaroo

What is teacher leadership? Harris and Lambert (2003) Harris and Lambert (2003) Teacher leadership is a model of leadership in which teaching staff at various levels within the organisation have the opportunity to lead. Teacher leadership is a model of leadership in which teaching staff at various levels within the organisation have the opportunity to lead. Gronn (2000) Leadership as an emergent process Gronn (2000) Leadership as an emergent process South African context South African context

Methodology What are teachers’ perceptions about leadership in schools? What are teachers’ perceptions about leadership in schools? To what extent is teacher leadership happening in schools and what roles do teachers take up? To what extent is teacher leadership happening in schools and what roles do teachers take up? What are teachers’ perceptions of the leadership context and culture in their schools? What are teachers’ perceptions of the leadership context and culture in their schools?

Districts Umgungundlovu (70%) Umgungundlovu (70%) No fee schools 7% No fee schools 7% Umzinyathi (24%) Umzinyathi (24%) No fee schools 31% No fee schools 31% Umkhanyakude (6%) Umkhanyakude (6%) No fee schools 84% No fee schools 84%

Research design Group research project Group research project 1055 completed questionnaires 1055 completed questionnaires 54% primary 54% primary 39% secondary 39% secondary 7% combined schools Sampling: purposive and convenient Sampling: purposive and convenient Interpretive paradigm/quantitative Interpretive paradigm/quantitative Data entered using SPSS Data entered using SPSS

Teacher leadership model

FINDINGS : TEACHERS’ VIEWS ABOUT SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Majority (75%) -not only SMT should lead Majority (75%) -not only SMT should lead 72% - confident and capable of leading 72% - confident and capable of leading 8% - SMT should make decisions 8% - SMT should make decisions Perceptions reinforced by Task Team Perceptions reinforced by Task Team level of rhetoric – support for distributed and teacher leadership level of rhetoric – support for distributed and teacher leadership

FINDINGS : TEACHERS’ VIEWS ABOUT SCHOOL LEADERSHIP QUALIFICATION AND TEACHER PERCEPTION ABOUT ABILITY TO LEAD: QUALIFICATION AND TEACHER PERCEPTION ABOUT ABILITY TO LEAD: 62%: under-qualified 62%: under-qualified 77%: 4 year diploma or degree 77%: 4 year diploma or degree 72%: 5 year qualification or more 72%: 5 year qualification or more Higher qualification – greater confidence Higher qualification – greater confidence Data suggests – teachers perceive themselves as leaders Data suggests – teachers perceive themselves as leaders

THE EXTENT OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP IN SCHOOLS PURPOSE : HOW TEACHER LEADERSHIP HAPPENS PURPOSE : HOW TEACHER LEADERSHIP HAPPENS Emergent or delegated? Emergent or delegated? 61% - always or often took the initiative 61% - always or often took the initiative Initiative per districts: Initiative per districts: 64% - Umgungundlovu 64% - Umgungundlovu 57% - Umzinyati 57% - Umzinyati 46% - Umkhanyakude 46% - Umkhanyakude Variation – contextual issues Variation – contextual issues Question: How does socio-economic status of a community impact on teacher initiative? Question: How does socio-economic status of a community impact on teacher initiative? Zones and roles model – level of involvement Zones and roles model – level of involvement

ZONE 1: Leading within the classroom Focus- leadership within the classroom Focus- leadership within the classroom Attempts to elevate stds. of teaching. Attempts to elevate stds. of teaching. 77% - often or always critically reflected 77% - often or always critically reflected 72% - often or always updated knowledge 72% - often or always updated knowledge Data – teachers engaged in activities that promoted teaching and learning Data – teachers engaged in activities that promoted teaching and learning Strong correlation – Umgungundlovu and Umzinyati Strong correlation – Umgungundlovu and Umzinyati Data from Umkhanyakude – contradictory Data from Umkhanyakude – contradictory Perceptions – not reality Perceptions – not reality

ZONE 2: Outside the classroom Focus : Focus : Provision of curriculum knowledge Provision of curriculum knowledge Managing in-service training Managing in-service training Providing assistance Providing assistance Performance evaluation Performance evaluation Highest % of often or always – Highest % of often or always – peer evaluation – 38%

ZONE 2: Outside the classroom Mostly involved in : Mostly involved in : Extra- mural Extra- mural Text book selection Text book selection Leadership restricted – Leadership restricted – Emphasis on maintenance and administrative processes Emphasis on maintenance and administrative processes Leadership – exception rather than norm Leadership – exception rather than norm

ZONE 3: Outside the classroom in whole school development Comprises two roles: Comprises two roles: Participation in school level decision making Participation in school level decision making Organising and leading reviews of school practice Organising and leading reviews of school practice Findings: Teachers - seldom fully involved in decision making processes Findings: Teachers - seldom fully involved in decision making processes

ZONE 3: Outside the classroom in whole school development Limited participation in designing staff development programmes Limited participation in designing staff development programmes Harris and Muijs (2005) – lack of confidence and leadership skills Harris and Muijs (2005) – lack of confidence and leadership skills Need for meaningful professional development experience – Katzenmeyer and Moller (2001) Need for meaningful professional development experience – Katzenmeyer and Moller (2001)

ZONE 4: Leading between neighbouring schools Focus- Focus- Providing curriculum development knowledge across schools Providing curriculum development knowledge across schools Leading in-service education Leading in-service education Assisting teachers across schools Assisting teachers across schools Participation in zone 4 not common practice Participation in zone 4 not common practice Highest level of participation in extra-mural activities: 25% Highest level of participation in extra-mural activities: 25% Findings concur with Rajagopaul (2007) and Khumalo (2008) Findings concur with Rajagopaul (2007) and Khumalo (2008)

TEACHER LEADERSHIP AND SCHOOL COMMITTEES DATA ANALYSED TO DETERMINE : DATA ANALYSED TO DETERMINE : Extent of teacher leadership Extent of teacher leadership Roles assumed Roles assumed Composition of committees Composition of committees How teachers became members How teachers became members

TEACHER LEADERSHIP AND SCHOOL COMMITTEES NAME OF COMMITTEE NAME OF COMMITTEE CATERING CATERING SPORTS SPORTS CULTURAL CULTURAL TIMETABLE TIMETABLE SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT TEAM SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT TEAM MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE SAFETY AND SECURITY SAFETY AND SECURITY DISCIPLINE DISCIPLINE TEACHER UNION TEACHER UNION

TEACHER LEADERSHIP AND SCHOOL COMMITTEES

CONTEXT AND CULTURE AIM: AIM: To determine teachers’ perception of the school context and culture- barrier or facilitator To determine teachers’ perception of the school context and culture- barrier or facilitator SMT barrier – distributive leadership and collegiality SMT barrier – distributive leadership and collegiality 29% felt SMT trusted their ability to lead 29% felt SMT trusted their ability to lead Majority – not fully acknowledged Majority – not fully acknowledged 27% - SMT valued their opinion 27% - SMT valued their opinion Concurs with existing research (Ntuzela (2008), Rajagopaul (2007), Singh (2007) Concurs with existing research (Ntuzela (2008), Rajagopaul (2007), Singh (2007)

CONTEXT AND CULTURE OTHER BARRIERS: OTHER BARRIERS: Lack of professional development – 32% satisfied Lack of professional development – 32% satisfied Colleagues – 19% no resistance Colleagues – 19% no resistance

Conclusion Teacher leadership Teacher leadership Leading in zones Leading in zones School Management Team School Management Team Teachers themselves Teachers themselves Context and culture Context and culture The future The future

Instruction: Place a CROSS in the column that most closely describes your opinion on the role of teacher leadership in your school. Instruction: Place a CROSS in the column that most closely describes your opinion on the role of teacher leadership in your school. Scale: 5= Always 4= Often 3= Sometimes 2= Seldom 1= Never Scale: 5= Always 4= Often 3= Sometimes 2= Seldom 1= Never I believe I believe 11. Only the SMT should make decisions in the school. 11. Only the SMT should make decisions in the school. 12. All teachers can take a leadership role in the school. 12. All teachers can take a leadership role in the school. 13. That only people in positions of authority should lead. 13. That only people in positions of authority should lead. 14. That men are better able to lead than women 14. That men are better able to lead than women Questionnaire

Questionnaire Scale: 5= Always 4= Often 3= Sometimes 2= Seldom 1= Never Which of the following tasks are you involved with? Which of the following tasks are you involved with? 15. I take initiative without being delegated duties. 15. I take initiative without being delegated duties. 16. I reflect critically on my own classroom teaching. 16. I reflect critically on my own classroom teaching. 17. I organise and lead reviews of the school year plan. 17. I organise and lead reviews of the school year plan. 18. I participate in in-school decision making. 18. I participate in in-school decision making. 19. I give in-service training to colleagues. 19. I give in-service training to colleagues. 20. I provide curriculum development knowledge to my colleagues. 20. I provide curriculum development knowledge to my colleagues.